David Greven Boeken

The book delves into the portrayal of male sexuality in nineteenth-century American literature, revealing that male protagonists often prefer solitude over traditional relationships. Greven argues that these characters, including those from renowned authors like Hawthorne and Melville, seek to maintain emotional and sexual independence, challenging conventional notions of masculinity. The study uncovers unconventional depictions of desire, suggesting that these "inviolate" males disrupt established gender and sexual norms, prompting a reevaluation of American manhood and literary interpretation.

The theme of female transformation informs the Hollywood representation of femininity from the studio era to the present. Whether it occurs physically, emotionally, or on some other level, transformation allows female protagonists to negotiate their own complex desires and to resist the compulsory marriage plot. A sweeping study of Hollywood from Now, Voyager, The Heiress, and Flamingo Road to Carrie, the Alien films, The Brave One, and the slasher horror genre, this book boldly unsettles commonplace understandings of genre film, female sexuality, and Freudian theory as it makes a strong new case for the queer relevance of female representation.

Exploring the theme of same-sex desire, the book examines the concept of 'gender protest' in the works of notable antebellum authors like Margaret Fuller, Edgar Allan Poe, Herman Melville, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. It highlights how these writers tackled taboo subjects, skillfully employing various rhetorical techniques to articulate complex expressions of sexuality and gender. Through this analysis, the book expands the understanding of the challenges and possibilities surrounding these themes in their literary contexts.

This work delves into contemporary representations of manhood in film through the lenses of psychoanalysis, queer theory, masculinity studies, and cultural studies. It examines how these frameworks intersect to reveal the complexities of male identity and the cultural narratives surrounding masculinity today. By analyzing various films, the author sheds light on the evolving nature of manhood and its implications in modern society.

The book explores Nathaniel Hawthorne's critique of American male identity through the lenses of psychoanalytic and queer theory. David Greven highlights how Hawthorne's portrayal of normative masculinity relies on deceptive images of wholeness, revealing male narcissism as both defining and undermining heterosexual authority. The analysis extends to Hawthorne's works, including "Rappaccini's Daughter" and "The Blithedale Romance," illustrating the fragility of masculinity and its implications for female and queer identities. Greven also examines the connections between Hawthorne and Herman Melville, emphasizing their shared themes and artistic influences.

Maurice (1987), a British film based on the novel by E.M. Forster, follows an Edwardian man's journey to self-acceptance as someone who loves and desires men. Rebutting its critical reception, this volume champions the film as a sympathetic adaptation, making a case for its underappreciated positive depiction of gay love.